Marble Blast Discord Server Feedback

Our Marble Blast Discord server has been going strong since 2017, and it's seen quite a few changes during that time. But lately, there has been quite a bit of discussion about what purpose this server should actually fulfill for this community, what should or should not be included, and how it impacts this community. As discussions on Discord move very quickly and often get heated, I invite people to talk here and see what we have to say about the place where we do most of our talking and activities.

I believe there were a couple things that started the argument today. One was how often conversations in #general are derailed (for which I suggest using the Spam Board or other forum categories if the discussions are more serious), and the other was whether anyone should be allowed to make a Discord activity at any time. There was also a healthy dose of "the mods don't talk enough/do enough" thrown in.

What are people's thoughts on these issues, and just the Discord server in general? I'll put my own thoughts in a separate post.

I know Dom brought up moving Content below Other Discussion, which I think would be a great change. Other Discussion could also use some actual ordering rather than just being alphabetical. I propose memes > images-music-videos > bots > video-games > aww > technology > minecraft

Some other people also brought up the return of #opt-in, which, if this were to happen, I think would be done much better using Discord's built-in community features. If this was done, I think #suggestions and #bug-report could also be finally turned into proper forum channels, and #new-releases could also probably use the same treatment. Worth noting is that Hailey's old OpenMBU server also used a forum channel for its version of #new-releases, and this worked beautifully. #welcome and #info could then also be merged into the Onboarding section along with #opt-in as well. This would then leave #announcements and #quote-of-the-day alone in the Info category (for most people), so it could be renamed to... something else, I guess.

I argued against the moving or renaming of #general and #general-2, as they're there for general discussion, and having #general as one of the first channels is important since it is the main channel. #marbleblast should also stay where and what it is. It was brought up that #general and #general-2 shouldn't be in the "Marble Blast Discussion" category since they're not really about Marble Blast discussion, but, if this is really a problem, those channels could just get their own "General" category above Marble Blast Discussion. Maybe #images-music-videos and possibly #memes could go there too? Probably not the latter, but #images-music-videos would totally fit.

Speaking of new categories, I also think that #suggestions, #bug-report, and #webchat should be made into their own category, too. Either that, or maybe merge them with the Content category? Especially if #suggestions and #bug-report are made into forum channels as per one of my previous suggestions. I also absolutely think #status should just be merged into #webchat and pinned there. Easily the most confident suggestion in this post.

Some mentions of bringing back #adults-only or something similar to it (more analogous to a combination of #drama and #politics-and-news, with sexual and drug-related topics also allowed but nothing pornographic) were also thrown around, and, while I think it's definitely not needed, it wouldn't be a bad addition either imo. And, of course, as the name suggests and as it was before, still adults only, of course.

Of course, though, the most important thing to do... would be to rename #general and #general-2 to #less-spam and #all-the-spam respectively.

Here is what my proposition was when the mods were talking about this back in May 2024:

OUTLINE

---

MARBLE BLAST DISCUSSION
# marbleblast-general (General for marble blast content only)
# speedrunning
# level-building
# multiplayer
# coding-and-modding
# webchat (Gotta clean-up the login/log outs somehow)

OTHER DISCUSSION
# general (We will need to guide people to here. Still should be 1 click away)
# general-2 (Is it possible to archive this and/or merge with #general?)
# aww
# memes
# images-music-videos
# technology
# video-games
# minecraft (Moved to the bottom as its very specialized)

CONTENT (These all have slow mode enabled (except forums))
# run-submissions (Probably should be at the top as its more active and should be as visible as possible)
# new-videos
# new-releases
# live-streams
# forum-posts
# mb-web (Currently just a WR spam bot, if this gets cleaned up should be in MBG discussion)

TECHNICAL SUPPORT (Serves different role than discussion, separate but near MB as it's related)
# suggestions
# bug-report
# NotSoBot (Formally #bots, but seems to only be the one bot used as a tool)


The general idea was to move the discussions to the top, with a focus on Marble Blast content to be more stringantly moderated in the #marble-blast-discussion section. Generals would be moved to #other-discussion, but will still be high enough on the list that the likelensss of the Marble Blast focused conversations being derailed would be minimized. Content should follow, and technical support is at the bottom as it is on an as-needed basis for those that apply.

This set-up would allow for easier time with moderation while trimming some of the fat off unused/minimally used channels.

I propose memes > images-music-videos > bots > video-games > aww > technology > minecraft
I can see this ordering, however, we only have 1 active bot filling a support role. I think bots should be within the support section I suggested. 

Some other people also brought up the return of #opt-in, which, if this were to happen, I think would be done much better using Discord's built-in community features.
This would need deeper conversation with the community. Not a bad idea though if we turn the discord into something more content based that allows users to opt in and out. 

#marbleblast should also stay where and what it is. It was brought up that #general and #general-2 shouldn't be in the "Marble Blast Discussion" category since they're not really about Marble Blast discussion, but, if this is really a problem, those channels could just get their own "General" category above Marble Blast Discussion.
Not a bad idea. This would go between #marble-blast-discussion and #other-discussion I'd assume?

Speaking of new categories, I also think that #suggestions, #bug-report, and #webchat should be made into their own category, too. Either that, or maybe merge them with the Content category? 
Yes, I agree. Though webchat has actual marble blast conversation usually since it is in game and should probably stay with marble blast discussion. My idea was having this in a support group at the bottom for this reason.

Some mentions of bringing back #adults-only or something similar to it (more analogous to a combination of #drama and #politics-and-news, with sexual and drug-related topics also allowed but nothing pornographic) were also thrown around, and, while I think it's definitely not needed, it wouldn't be a bad addition either imo. 
I also think this is not needed and probably shouldnt be added. Break out servers fufill this need.

Of course, though, the most important thing to do... would be to rename #general and #general-2 to #less-spam and #all-the-spam respectively.
Lol. I think having a separate section AND naming these "spam" will put us down the wrong path. 

I feel that anything which is a thread on Discord should be a thread on the forums instead. I've always found the process of navigating the #suggestions and #bug-report channels supremely frustrating and difficult, and it feels like several times a week people post responses in there without making a thread and the mods have to do extra work to force the channels to function in a way that goes against people's instincts for how an instant messaging platform like Discord should function. Plus, so many of these threads contain useful information for anyone playing the game, so in my view they should be on the website just for maximum visibility. Also, people are always wanting to discuss videos and releases in #new-releases and #new-videos, and the forums would allow you to do just that without the mods having to do extra work.

I made a message in the Discord back on 2025-01-05 that I'll put here to show how Discord threads (or anything really) could fit nicely into the forum categories we already have, for the most part.


Responding to Yoshicraft:

I'm neutral about reordering of Other Discussion, because I have that entire category collapsed and muted. So if you think there's a more relevant ordering, you're probably right.

As for #suggestions, #bug-report, and #new-releases and #new-videos being turned into forum channels, just read what I said above. I'd rather those get moved to the forums entirely. People misuse them so often and threads get buried so much that, at least in my view, the channels are more annoying than useful.

I agree with not renaming #general and #general-2. One of the worst things the old mods did right before they left was to get rid of those channels. They are what set Discord apart from the website, and I think it's worth keeping the Discord server around.

I also don't think having #adults-only or any of those other channels return would be a good idea, or at least if they did, I would stay away from them. I feel like the nature of Discord makes this community act more immature than it otherwise would, which I don't think is a good thing for very serious discussions like those that would take place in such channels.

DomTurchi wrote:

I think bots should be within the support section I suggested.

#bug-report is the only channel that's really "technical support" unless you maybe want to count #coding-and-modding. If this category does exist, it should definitely have a different name. #bots also definitely fits fine where it is now imo, especially with a lot of Other Discussion being other common Discord server channels like #memes and #images-music-videos.

DomTurchi wrote:

Not a bad idea. This would go between #marble-blast-discussion and #other-discussion I'd assume?

I specifically stated "above Marble Blast Discussion" in my post, because I think it's important to have #general be at the top of the actual usable conversing channels (but still below stuff like #announcements and the like ofc). I talked about this in my post as well. It's the main channel, and the most active, so it makes sense to keep it at the top.

DomTurchi wrote:

webchat has actual marble blast conversation usually since it is in game and should probably stay with marble blast discussion.

Yeah, but you can't actually talk in the channel itself. Otherwise I'd probably agree, and maybe would've even brought that up myself. Could be cool to maybe link your mb.com account to Discord so you can talk in Webchat like that? But it's not super worth it. Could automatically give you flairs and colored names on the server too.

DomTurchi wrote:

Break out servers fufill this need.

I absolutely don't think we should rely on branch servers for anything. For the purposes of making a community Discord server for PQ, we should honestly just pretend that they don't exist. This server should be self-sufficient for everything it needs to be a Marble Blast community server. The only reason branch servers should even really exist is just for friend groups who want to hang out alone together and just happened to meet through MB. Honestly, thinking about this has just made me more supportive of this new #adults-only prospect.

Finally, another thing that I just thought of again (thanks Nockess) is renaming #quote-of-the-day to something like #best-of-mb. "Quote of the Day" is a bit misleading since posts there usually don't happen every single day. Unless we want to lower the bar like the old mods once experimented with a while back so that this can happen. But that both doesn't seem like a great idea (although it was alright imo) in the first place, and would also just be a lot more work for the people behind it. The argument of the name "quote of the day" being historically relevant (similar to something like images-music-videos) since "that's how it was like in x place" also doesn't apply, as "Best of MB" also references hPerks's old Google Drive folder filled with a bunch of cool Marble Blast moments from back in the day, mostly revolving around noby's old Discord server Webchat Without Mods. (this is where the #less-spam and #all-the-spam joke comes from btw, #less-spam was essentially that server's #general with #no-spam and #all-the-spam also surrounding it)

Hard-vouching for the outline that Dom proposed, especially in moving the MB-centered stuff to the top. I also think having opt-in roles for all the Other Discussion channels that aren't #general and #general-2 might be nice? (Or maybe just opt-in for the entire category.)

Possibly #welcome and #info get merged too?

NF wrote:

I feel that anything which is a thread on Discord should be a thread on the forums instead. I've always found the process of navigating the #suggestions and #bug-report channels supremely frustrating and difficult ...

I know the point of this comment is for cases like #suggestions and #bug-report, but I don't want this to get confused with threads that serve as specified hangout places that aren't notable enough for their own channel (i.e. #Football for the ballers). Maybe #minecraft gets the same treatment?

Threads should definitely be more encouraged regardless.

Yeah, #minecraft getting archived in favor of a thread in #video-games is a neat idea.

Nockess wrote:

I know the point of this comment is for cases like #suggestions and #bug-report, but I don't want this to get confused with threads that serve as specified hangout places that aren't notable enough for their own channel (i.e. #Football for the ballers).
 

Right, I was talking primarily about MB-related threads. Although you could certainly have a football thread on the forums if you really wanted to, but I agree that a case like that would be better suited to Discord.

If you want to, you can take my opinions with a grain of salt because I have basically the entire server muted, but this is my dream for seeing the forums become active again so that I can still happily be involved with the community while not feeling like I'm missing out on important things like game updates, speedrunning updates, level releases, suggestions, bug fixes, and other important community discussions.

Some other points I'd like to bring up:

No one really specifically uses Stream VC for streams, or General VC for no streams. Just rename them to General 1 and General 2 (or Voice Chat 1 and Voice Chat 2 or something like that) instead so there's not really any need for that anymore.

#vc-text is no longer needed due to Discord's built-in VC text feature now. It especially sucks when you're watching a stream and need to click off to read #vc-text because someone posted there instead of just reading/writing in the text chat already visible on the side.

Lastly, especially applicable if one or double-especially both of these suggestions are taken, the voice chats can also maybe be moved up to a higher category instead of being stuck in their own. This would also be even more applicable if a new "General" category is made, and the VCs could go in there. #general, #general-2, #images-music-videos, Voice Chat 1, and Voice Chat 2.

NF wrote:

I can still happily be involved with the community while not feeling like I'm missing out on important things like game updates, speedrunning updates, level releases, suggestions, bug fixes, and other important community discussions.

While I can't say so much for the latter, everything else is usually highlighted somewhere on Discord anyway. Game updates are always announced in #announcements, big speedrunning events like WRRs are usually announced as well and have events relating to them (unless you just mean new WRs and tweaks and stuff, in which case yeah), and level releases and suggestions have their own channels now, which might even be turned into forum channels later, making each new post even more impactful (vs. just comments on certain things). As for bug fixes, while some are included in the patch notes, there could definitely be more of an effort made to include all of them, and I'll bring that up in dev chat. I definitely agree with that.

I feel like the most important thing in a marble blast discord... is marble blast. I'm pretty against random off topic stuff being above that discussion.

I also consider suggestions as "technical support" because at the end of the day, a suggestion is telling Random or Thearst to do something to the game/Discord/website. Almost every suggestion is something technical in nature. Bots to me dont offer anything to discussion or content, so its the only valid place to put it without adding even more categories to the discord.

As for the break-out server stuff, I am agreeing with NF in that the discord has to be suitable for a larger audience and the idea of opt-in adult only conversation just seems a little eh. I'm not strongly opinioned on this though as I originally proposed such a channel to be brought back in the original moderator discussion, but that discussion did change my mind in leaning away from this as a solution.

I see what you mean about the #web-chat not actually being active conversation. I thought thearst added integration for that with Discord, but I guess not. It should probably be in #other-discussion or something then.

#best-of-#mb I'm all for.

Currently, updates to the PlatinumQuest-Dev (and other relevant) repo on GitHub are posted to the #development channel. If opt-in channels are brought back, maybe there could be a more public channel for this? Could also ruin the surprise for some things, though, but, at the same time, any other server can also just make a webhook for the PQ dev repo. So why not make this information more available to those who want it?